Add Lake Anna, one of Virginia’s largest freshwater lakes, to your summer day trip bucket list. The 17-mile-long lake and its many summer events and festivals make for a quick getaway with activities from boat rentals and hiking trails to wineries and golf courses.
For foodies:
Mineral Farmers Market: The Mineral Farmers Market, which has about 30 vendors each Saturday, offers a wide array of goodies for the entire family to enjoy. Walking through the tent-covered fields of rural Virginia, one can find local produce, watch wool-spinning demonstrations, eat hand-churned ice cream and pick up fresh flowers, customized jewelry and more.
For a traditional Southern summer:
The Madison County Fair: The annual Madison County Fair runs July 13-16, and this year’s theme is Blue Jeans and Country Dreams. Attendees will have the opportunity to check out firetrucks and rescue squad cars, attend a circus and ride on an antique tractor. Other activities include a cornhole tournament, pie-eating contest, a carnival and live entertainment.
For outdoorsy types:
Lake Anna State Park: This state park offers a plethora of outdoor activities for the family: a fishing pond, a guarded beach for swimming and more than 15 miles of trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding. The park also has a visitor center with exhibits detailing the area’s history as a gold mining center. Visitors can partake in nature and gold-panning programs and guided tours of the Goodwin Gold Mine.
For wine-lovers:
Lake Anna Winery: Taste Lake Anna Winery’s award-winning wines and take a tour of the vineyards, located just 3 miles from the lake. Summer events include theCountry Americana Festival on July 2 with fireworks, live music and a watermelon-eating contest for kids beginning at 1 p.m. Then, Cajun Zydeco on July 16 from 6-10 p.m. will boast live music and catering from Gregory’s Grill.
Cooper Vineyards: At this charming vineyard, adults can enjoy a wine tasting and can buy some bottles to take home. Every Saturday and Sunday afternoon throughout the summer, there is complimentary live music. In addition, Cooper Vineyards hosts Friday Night Flights every Friday from 5-9 p.m. with wine sold by the glass or bottle, food trucks and live music.
For golfers:
The Greens at Tanyard: The Greens at Tanyard is a semi-private 18-hole golf course 20 minutes from Lake Anna. On weekends and holidays, it costs $47 to play 18 holes and $35 to play nine.
For boaters:
Orange Troller: Orange Troller offers cruises on Lake Anna for small parties. Each ticket is good for up to six people and gives you one hour on the boat. Guests can add on time in half-hour increments as desired. They don’t provide food or drinks, but guests can bring their own drinks.
Lake Anna Boat Rental: Lake Anna Boat Rental offers 19-footand 17-footboats, 24-footpontoon boats, paddleboards, one-and two-person kayaks and three-person canoes. They also provide waterskiing and wakeboarding lessons.
Dukes Creek Marina: Dukes Creek Marina offers pontoon boat rentals with prices based on the number of people using the boat. They offer both half-day and full-day rentals.
Sturgeon Creek Marina: Sturgeon Creek offers eight-person pontoons, four-person Gillgetters and 14-foot,three-person jon boats for rent.
First Mates Rentals: First Mates Rentals has a 22-footpontoon for 12 people that can be rented for either four or eight hours.
For adrenaline seekers:
Wake Edger’s Gear and Gifts: At Wake Edger’s, you can find all of the goodies you need for a fun day on the lake: water trampolines, kayaks, water jungle gyms, paddleboards, tubes, wakeboards, kneeboards, wake surfers, water skis and wakeskates. Wake Edger’s also offers lessons in most of these water sports.
Wake Anna: Wake Anna sells a variety of water sports gear, including wakeboards and wakeboard towers, along with paddleboards available to rent.
